DoubleEdged Blade
by Aesop
Summary: Gargoyles 11.  The clan wants to be accepted by the human world, but they are about to learn that that kind of acceptance can be a double-edged blade.


The characters from the Gargoyles TV show do not belong to me and I gain nothing by this, it's just for my own amusement. Some of the characters are mine and some were introduced in a fanfic series called the Gargoyles Saga.

This story takes place shortly after _Double, Double, Toil and.._ One of the clan's goals has always been acceptance by human society, but that kind of acceptance can be a…

DOUBLE-EDGED BLADE

"There." Owen pointed at the screen where the image from the security camera clearly showed a workman leaning against a wall, while he looked around carefully to see if he was being watched.

Xanatos frowned.

"You asked me down here to watch a man scratching himself?"

"No sir. Look at his other hand." Xanatos saw it then. The man on the camera had something in his hand, and he was inserting it into a gap between the bricks of the courtyard wall.

"What is that?"

"This." Owen held out a small metal cylinder the size of a cigarette. "It is a camera."

"Camera? This man has been spying on us?"

"On the gargoyles actually. I tracked his motions through the day and found three more of these devices. They were all positioned to watch the gargoyles awakening."

"Where is this man now?"

"He's gone home for the day, but he will doubtless return for the cameras tomorrow. He is on the morning shift and scheduled to report at 7:30." Anticipating his employer's next question he pulled out a folder. "According to his application, his name is Sam Ferguson, a New York resident for the last five years. I've determined that there is such a person, but he is currently serving six months on Riker's Island on a drug charge."

"Nothing about that on his application," Xanatos mused, looking over the form. "So who is he really?"

"I'm not sure sir. I'm running his picture through several public databases, but haven't found anything yet."

"He may not be from New York. A search like that could take a while. What about police records? He may be wanted somewhere if he's an ex-quarryman." Owen nodded.

"I have considered that. Detective Maza will be by later tonight. She will be willing to help find this man. Or we could simply apprehend him when he comes to work tomorrow."

"I'd like to know who we're dealing with before then," his employer remarked dryly. "The repairs have been going on for almost a week. How many days has he been doing this?"

"He only started yesterday, a replacement for a worker who resigned suddenly. He might have footage, but it's unlikely. I checked the security tapes from his first day. He seems to have spent the time scouting the building's security."

"How did you find him out?"

"The personnel department checked his references. He was probably counting on us not doing that. Many companies wouldn't bother checking the references for a temporary day laborer."

"Let's hear it for high standards. Detain the man when he arrives tomorrow and we'll have a chat with him. Tell Detective Maza I want to see her when she arrives."

"Yes sir." At his employer's nod of dismissal, Owen turned and left the office.

***

"Does he have any pictures of the clan?" Elisa demanded settling Tom into the crook of one arm. The baby looked up at the two with a solemn expression while he chewed on his blanket. 

"I don't think so. We're pretty sure he placed the cameras today, but he wasn't under constant surveillance. We were hoping you could help us find out who he is. If this fellow is an ex-quarryman he may have been arrested at some point. You can conduct the necessary search more quickly and easily than I can." He handed her a still picture taken from the security camera. It showed the man's face clearly. Elisa bristled slightly. It still irritated her that Xanatos could get into the police computer files, and Xanatos seemed to take pleasure in reminding her of it, no doubt enjoying the chance to show off.

"Has the clan been told?"

"Not yet. I wanted as much information as I could get before going to Goliath. We can take this man aside when he comes to work tomorrow, but we'd like to know something about him. That's where you come in." Elisa nodded.

"I'll see what I can find out, but let's go see Goliath first."

***

Brooklyn, Broadway, Sata, and Lex left on an early patrol shortly after waking. Lex and Broadway were sniping amiably about a rumored cancellation of some TV show or other and Sata seemed preoccupied about something as the group left. Goliath noticed her distraction, but a shared glance with Brooklyn, not to mention the desire to see Elisa and Tom, kept him from asking.

The rest of the clan headed into the castle for dinner. Broadway had prepared cold cuts and fruit the night before as well as a pot of chicken soup. There was a little grumbling over the menu, especially from the twins who had hoped for something more elaborate, but they quieted when Goliath passed by.

He wondered what was keeping Elisa. This was the first day she had kept Tom with her. It had become necessary to make special arrangements for the child when it was discovered that he didn't always fall asleep at sunrise. Two days earlier he had been crying when it came time to sleep, throwing a genuine fit. When Goliath turned to stone the child had continued to cry, much to Elisa's dismay. Fortunately he had not been in a position to wriggle out of his father's arms, but he had cried even louder over the sudden change. It had been almost an hour, an hour in which Elisa tried hard to find a way to reach the boy without falling off the castle wall, before Tom had finally worn himself out and turned to stone. He had woken up on time with the rest, but no one as yet knew if he could wake up early.

So Elisa had taken him home with her. The idea of Elisa having a separate home still bothered Goliath, but as yet they hadn't figured out how to avoid the investigation by Internal Affairs that would result from her moving into a castle with two ex-cons. Elisa could not exactly show off her mate and baby as reasons. Goliath understood this, but that didn't mean he was happy about it.

He carefully hid these sentiments though, as Elisa came into the dining room carrying Tom. At the sight of Goliath, he began wiggling and Elisa set him down. He threw off the blanket she used to conceal his more unusual features and toddled a few steps towards the clan leader before falling and crawling the rest of the way. 

Goliath's attention was diverted when Xanatos came in behind Elisa. "Goliath," Elisa said worriedly. "We may have a problem." He took a moment to settle Tom against his shoulder and let everyone settle in to listen before asking for an explanation.

Xanatos laid it all out for them, the cameras, the phony I.D. and their inability to find any information about their spy. The clan absorbed this silently, without asking any questions. Finally, Angela spoke up. 

"You think he's a former quarryman?"

"He could be," Elisa answered, "We don't know. That's why I'm going to the station to run a few checks on this guy. He could be some anti-gargoyle fanatic or he could be a reporter." She sighed. "I'm honestly not sure which would be worse."

"We cannot risk being exposed," Goliath rumbled. "Many of this city's inhabitants are still fearful of us. The media could cause us considerable trouble if they learn where we live."

"Well the cameras he planted today won't do him any good, but we're not certain that he didn't plant cameras his first day here."

"We'll just have to ask him won't we?" Xanatos put in with a confident smirk. 

***

The group of gargoyles swooped down on the gang members surrounding the couple. It had clearly been a bad idea to take the shortcut. Now that error was going to cost the couple, tourists if the clothes and camera's were any indication, their lives. He leaned forward eagerly as the gargoyles attacked. A large brick red male sent two of the crudely armed teens sprawling when he landed. The rest of the group, much to the gargoyle's surprise turned on him and started to fight back. They didn't run as expected and that gave the humans a momentary advantage.

It only lasted a moment though. The three still standing managed to drive back the initial attack and even land a few solid blows with fists or with what looked like lengths of rubber hose packed with sand. That cost them their advantage. A heavy chain connected with the arm of a green female. She dropped the sword she carried with a cry of pain and the red male who had led the charge roared in anger and waded into the group of thugs. 

In under a minute they were all laid out. The tourist couple had backed away and were still backing away, not wanting to take their eyes off the creatures. A grin spread over the face of the observer. _Come on. Do it. They're right there!_

The leader of the group waved at the couple in a friendly manner and turned his attention to securing the would-be muggers. The couple didn't run, but they didn't linger either, and the observer sighed in disappointment.

__

Saved them! Why save them? The observer muttered something obscene under his breath. He repeated it when he noted that the thugs weren't even badly hurt. He could feel the old anger building in him, and his body tensed, preparing to attack. With an effort he forced it down, and the red haze before his eyes receded. Now was not the time. 

The gargoyles were securing the humans to an iron fence, obviously leaving them for the police. This was not what he wanted to see. The gargoyles scaled a building and took flight at the sound of approaching sirens. The observer had no interest in the aftermath and turned back down the alley, vanishing into the shadows.

***

Brooklyn watched Sata closely as they flew on. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I am fine Brooklyn. The man merely… got lucky."

"It was kind of a surprise to have 'em turn on us like that," Broadway put in. "People just aren't afraid of us like they used to be. I suppose we wanted people to stop being scared but…" He shrugged.

"Down side to everything," Lex said philosophically. "Let's take a swing through the park and head back."

"Yeah," Broadway agreed. "I'm hungry." 

Lex and Brooklyn rolled their eyes and smirked as they turned toward Central Park. "It's nice to know some things never change."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Broadway demanded.

***

The computer hummed quietly to itself as the picture went out over the web. She had found nothing in the computerized files that she could access at the precinct. Whoever the spy was he had no criminal record in the state of New York. Now she was sending the picture and the prints she had lifted at the castle to the FBI for comparison to their files. It would be easier if she could access the files herself, but that wasn't possible under the circumstances. 

She had also sent the picture to a few friends in other cities. A state trooper in Delaware that she had gone to high school with had promised to check for her. Three other acquaintances in other states had made similar promises, but she didn't expect to hear back from them before dawn. She called the castle to let Goliath know they probably wouldn't have an answer before they caught the guy the next day. 

With nothing else she could do in that direction she turned her attention to her case load. There were a few new developments in one case that kept her distracted for a time, but her thoughts kept returning to the stranger who was spying on the clan, her clan.

Eventually she closed the file and got up to stretch her legs. She got some coffee and listened to the chatter of some of the other officers. Morgan had just come in, out of breath after chasing down a purse-snatcher. O'toole was griping about an increase in his rent, and McKenzie was oddly happy about something. She had been grinning to herself most of the night, and Elisa suspected it had something to do with the guy she had met a few weeks ago. There was no sign of Matt. He was off that night, spending his time with a certain detective from the 14th precinct. Elisa suppressed a sigh. At least someone's love life was going well. 

She didn't wish that Goliath was Guman, or that she was any other than what she was, but the problems they faced still seemed a bit overwhelming at times. Shaking off these thoughts she returned to her desk to work on cases. This time she was able to shove her problems to the back of her mind for a while and immerse herself in the task of tracking a group of car thieves working her area. They had been swiping car parts rather than entire cars, and that made them more difficult to track.

It was an interesting puzzle, and it kept her busy until the end of shift. Ferguson, or whoever he was, was due at the castle at 7:30 A.M. to begin work. She wanted to be there to meet him.

***

Tom was sleeping peacefully in a corner of Alex's room. Elisa had been gratified to see the two children got on so well. She had worried for a time that Tom would have no one close to his own age to play with. Alex was still sleeping, so Elisa quietly left the room and nodded her thanks to Owen.

"He went to sleep on time?"

"Yes detective. He's a well-mannered boy. There was no fuss this morning." Elisa nodded, satisfied.

"Has Ferguson arrived yet?"

"The work crew is arriving now. They should reach the castle in a few minutes. He will be taken aside then." She nodded and followed him, fully intending to be there when Xanatos confronted the man. Ferguson had, after all, falsified his application and one or two federal forms to get the job. It was a fine excuse to have a police officer on hand.

Ferguson was ushered into Xanatos' office a short time later. He played it cool, looking merely curious as to why he had been pulled aside. A short man, about 40 with receding blonde hair and a slight potbelly, there was nothing about him that would draw anyone's attention. His face was rather plain and undistinguished, the sort that could be forgotten easily. Owen and Elisa took their lead from Xanatos when he entered the room. Xanatos didn't say anything for a moment. He just looked at the man with a slight frown on his face.

Ferguson didn't react to the protracted silence. He just stood before the desk with a slightly distracted look. Finally Xanatos spoke up.

"Who are you?"

"Sam Ferguson," he answered, looking a bit confused.

"You're lying. Sam Ferguson is currently serving time on Riker's. You're using his name. You listed his last address and gave us a cell phone number. Who are you?"

When he began to protest further Xanatos opened a drawer, removed one of the cameras and placed it on the desk. Ferguson looked at it glumly.

"Who are you?" Xanatos repeated. Ferguson said nothing. After a moment Xanatos turned to Elisa. "Detective Maza, I believe this man has committed several crimes. Would you mind?" Elisa stepped forward drawing out her cuffs.

"You're under arrest. You have the right to remain silent." She cuffed him while she finished the recitation, then led him out of the office after taking the cameras as evidence.

Ferguson didn't speak until they had actually pulled out of the underground garage. When he did his question surprised her. "How much do you know about David Xanatos?"

"What?"

"How much do you know about him?"  
  
"Not your concern."

"It might be yours if he's harboring a serial killer." That brought Elisa up short.

"Explain."

"My name is Simon Deering. I'm a private investigator."

"Since when do private investigators track killers?"

"Since this killer murdered one of my clients. The police have gotten nowhere. They don't even know they're looking for a serial killer, haven't been able to connect similar killings in four cities. I tracked him to New York. Xanatos castle was my best lead."

"Why?"

"I'm not sure you'd believe the answer."

"Try me."

"Xanatos has some rather unusual guests staying with him. I needed to find out if the killer was among them." Elisa slowed the car as she turned a corner, heading away from the precinct.

"What sort of guests?"

"Don't you know?" When Elisa didn't respond he sighed. "They were all over the news a while back. The gargoyles live in the castle with Xanatos and his family." He saw the look on her face in the rearview mirror and misinterpreting, shook his head. "Truth. The statues are in different places and poses today than they were yesterday, or the day before. I've got no problems with them and didn't want to set off some kind of monster hunt if the killer wasn't at the castle. That's why I acted as I did instead of going to the police with my suspicions." Elisa was silent for a time. Finally, she decided to take the chance.

"You should have gone to the police. By hiding evidence of a serial killer you're obstructing justice. Why didn't you? Why do you think this killer would be in Xanatos' castle?" No mention of the gargoyles yet. She decided to let that go for the moment.

"There is no direct evidence beyond what I myself have seen and managed to deduce. The answer to both questions is the same. The killer is a gargoyle."

"Tell me." He shrugged and nodded.

***

Simon was behind schedule and annoyed with himself for it, he hated being late. The downtown streets of Pittsburgh were all but deserted at this hour. Awkward as it was to be meeting so late, he had grown used to accommodating his clients' peculiarities. This particular client was a night owl. George worked the swing shift at a steel mill and liked to go for a couple of beers after work. Recently he had begun to suspect that his wife was having an affair, so he had hired Deering to find out. 

It wasn't the sort of case that Simon really liked doing, but it was the kind that paid the bills. Necessary to his livelihood or not, following unfaithful spouses was not exactly a challenge. 

The bar at which they were to meet was just down the street from the public lot where he had parked. He heard the struggle as he approached the mouth of the alley between the bar and a pawnshop next door. Stopping next to the entrance he peered around the corner, and got a severe shock.

His client was dangling from the talons of a bizarre looking winged creature. It stood slightly over six feet tall and was heavily muscled. Two back-curling horns, like those of a ram, adorned the forehead of an otherwise human looking face. At the moment that face was twisted in an expression of unreasoning rage.

Deering reached for his gun but then remembered he wasn't carrying. The bar was very particular about people bringing weapons inside. It was too late regardless. As he watched, the creature drew back its arm and slammed George into the alley wall. There was a sickening crunch and George went limp. The creature didn't stop though. It slammed the dead man against the wall repeatedly until its rage was vented. The creature dropped the body and stepped back, calming down slowly. 

As the rage faded it looked down at the body and at its blood covered hands. Deering had withdrawn and could barely make out the face, let alone any expression the creature might have. Suddenly it jumped, catching the edge of the roof and pulling itself up.

Deering pulled back and pressed himself against the wall until he heard the sound of leather wings bearing the creature away. When it was safe he looked into the alley. There was no need to check the body though. Deering had never seen anyone so obviously dead. Steeling himself, he moved into the alley and looked over the scene, while being careful to stay clear of the body, so as not to disturb, or leave, any evidence. The police would never believe this. Whatever else the creature was, it was clearly very strong, and it could fly. He didn't know what he had seen, but he had an idea where to begin looking.

***

A gargoyle. It was a gargoyle, and if the group in New York was typical, then it was acting very strangely. Deering had spent days pouring over countless websites. There were widely varying accounts of their activities, but some things remained constant. 

All of the accounts of 'gargoyle attacks', at least all of those that could be confirmed, involved criminal activity of some sort. They seemed to target muggers and thieves. Clearly the creatures were intelligent. There were verified reports of conversations with them.

The negative reports, and there were a great many, came mostly from the Quarrymen and supporters of that group. In the end he made three lists. Things he knew to be true. Things he knew to be false. And finally, things he suspected. The first list was the shortest. It contained statements such as; gargoyles have not been sighted during the day. A group of gargoyles lives in New York. Gargoyles are sentient. Most importantly it contained the statement, 'a gargoyle killed George Dicks.

The second list contained statements mainly gathered from some of the Quarrymen's more outrageous propaganda. Some of the things they expected people to believe were downright laughable, if one took time to consider the evidence. There was nothing to support the contention, for instance, that the gargoyles stole children.

Well, there had been that one incident with Jesus Zapata. An incident that occurred while he was preparing his lists but the 'victim' had put an end to that story and the gargoyle involved had enjoyed some positive publicity. The incident had also added several items to the third list.

The third and longest list contained statements he believed to be true. They seemed to be vigilantes, attacking criminals at random. There were only a handful of them, maybe no more than 10. There were males and females and apparently children as well. Gargoyles had never been seen during the day, and it was widely believed that they turned to stone during those hours, but he found no reliable sources. Many people believed it, but no one that had seen them do so actually spoke to the press. The Quarrymen claimed it was true, but he was skeptical about anything they said since they claimed that the 'evil creatures' could not abide the sun. There was a group called P.I.T. that preached tolerance and acceptance for the gargoyles, but as yet they didn't have much of a following. There were other items on the list, derived from specific sightings. Not all of them were significant, but he listed them regardless in hopes of seeing a pattern later. Finally, he called a halt.

Finding information about the killer was a lot harder. There were a great many unsolved murders in Pittsburgh alone. He narrowed it by eliminating murders committed during the day or murders committed with guns or knives. He also eliminated vehicular homicides. Gradually, a picture began to form.

It took nearly two weeks to find what he was looking for. There were a total of six murders that met his search parameters. No suspects. No apparent motive. No witnesses. Beaten to death at night. The murders had occurred in several cities, and he was sure he was missing some of them. Enough of a trail existed though to indicate that the lone gargoyle was headed north, probably toward New York and the group that had drawn national attention to itself. 

It wasn't an easy job tracking the creature. In each case he had to dig through reports in several different newspapers, comparing their accounts and discarding details that didn't match. He chased a number of false leads, but eventually had what he needed. During the time it had taken him to compile the information, there were two more killings. This time they were in Jersey. The gargoyle was definitely headed for New York.

It took nearly a month to compile the information he needed to reach this conclusion, but he felt certain he knew the creature was going to New York and had a good idea of where, specifically, it was headed. Xanatos' castle. Xanatos had been linked to the Manhattan group on several occasions, but nothing concrete had been proven.

He made his plans and headed to New York.

***

"And that's how I came to be here."

Elisa let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. This was bad. A killer gargoyle? Aside from Demona, she had never heard of such a thing. She needed time to think, and to consult with the clan, but what was she going to do with this guy in the mean time? She didn't know enough about him to trust his intentions and just turn him loose. There was really only one option, but she didn't like it much. She changed course.

Simon had watched the police detective closely and had almost seen her make her decision. She had driven around aimlessly while he told his story, a fact that had not escaped his notice, but then, after a few moments of thought, drove straight to the station where he was charged with trespassing and fraud and escorted to a cell. He suspected he wouldn't be there long, so the treatment didn't aggravate him too much.

***

"Are you sure about this Detective Maza?" Xanatos looked skeptical, but willing to listen. Elisa nodded.

"I ran my own checks, using some information he gave me. It checks out. There have been a string of unsolved murders that fit the criteria he gave. Only two of them have been connected so far. Simon Deering is a private investigator from Pittsburgh, and he has no links, that I can find to any anti-gargoyle group. I think he's telling the truth."

"Very well. I'll drop the charges and have him released. Let's hear what he has to say. I also want more information though. I'll turn over the search to Hunter. Let's see what he can turn up on this killer gargoyle and Simon Deering." Elisa blinked in surprise.

"Hunter? You must be joking."

"No. I'm not. He has resources that neither of us do. I think this should be right up his alley." Elisa was about to object, but decided against it. Hunter's methods didn't sit well with her, but he was efficient, and that was what they needed right now. 

***

"An interesting story," Hunter mused. "You've checked him out yourself." A statement, not a question.

"He seems to be on the level, but-"

"You want more information. I can do that, the Unseelie have been quiet of late. Our tactics are proving too effective for their tastes."

"Your 'war of attrition', yes. We've noticed that they've become more cautious. The number of attacks has dropped considerably. They haven't launched a major attack in weeks." Hunter nodded, although he knew Xanatos couldn't see him, frowning slightly.

"Actually they seem to be adopting my tactics. Sniping at us, making hit and run attacks, that sort of thing. If it keeps up we may be forced to draw them into a major confrontation." He cut off the objection before it could be voiced. "I won't do anything drastic without the cooperation and consent of the other clan leaders." Xanatos said nothing, accepting this. "In the mean time, I'll see what I can learn about this situation with Deering." 

Xanatos thanked him and hung up, mulling over this latest bit of news about the Unseelie. Goliath had drawn similar conclusions about the methods Maddoc was using, but was adamantly against any sort of direct attack. He didn't quite understand Hunter's reasoning in wanting to provoke a major confrontation. It made no sense, but he decided to worry about that later.

***

Hunter put down the phone and considered his options. This killer would have to be found and contained quickly. If it became public knowledge what was happening then the gargoyles would face serious problems.

A murdering human barely attracted any notice it seemed, but a gargoyle serial killer? It would spark a monster hunt that could put everyone at risk. Especially since it was gargoyles doing most of the fighting against Maddoc.

Hunter turned to his terminal and set up a simple pattern for one of his own Internet search tools and set it in motion. He then went to see the others. 

Magdalena, Joey, Jack, Sheila, Ellie, and Felix were unhappy at being roused in, what to them, was the middle of the night. All of them had become night owls. Talon came as well, curious about the fuss.

Hunter filled them in. All of the details he had were laid out for them. When he finished there was silence for a time. Finally, Talon asked.

"Are we sure this guy is telling the truth?"

"No, but I have enough information to check his story. What we need though is first hand evidence. We need to find this gargoyle if he exists and stop him. I don't need to tell you what it would mean to have the public become aware of this."

"No, you don't. I'll provide a few extra sets of eyes for patrol until this is settled, one way or another. Frankly though, this reeks of a quarryman trap. I don't believe for a minute they've shut down. They've just gone underground."

"So how do we find him?" Joey wanted to know.

"He'll be looking for gargoyles. We just have to make ourselves available to be found."

They set up a grid patrol pattern that would allow them to cover a large portion of the city. Drawing up a schedule was delayed until they could have the input of the Wyvern clan. When the matter was agreed upon, they returned to their beds and Hunter returned to his computer.

The search was finished, and the results were pretty much what Hunter had expected. There was nothing unusual about Simon Deering. He had no record, no apparent ties to the Quarrymen, and no overt clues that he in any way shared their views.

He had been a successful private investigator for the last ten years. Before that he had been in the army as an M.P. A completely unremarkable tour of duty had ended when he decided not to reenlist.

"A good beginning. Let's see what else we can find." Hunter moved from site to site, dipping into public and private databases almost at will. He couldn't access Deering's computer of course, but he could read the e-mail on his internet provider's server. There was a backlog of messages that kept coming in regarding killings that fit a specific pattern. He waded through some of them. Only two of the ten met the parameters that the P.I. had laid out. Two people beaten to death, apparently with a blunt object, after dark. In each case there were no witnesses, no motive.

Apparently Deering was telling the truth. It wasn't conclusive, but it was an indication. He backtracked the messages. They came from a company that did online research for a fee, digging into a variety of different databases, newspaper archives, etc. Hunter made a note of the company's name and URL. One never knew when another source of information might be useful.

Deering apparently used them to cut down on his busywork. His account with them was four years old. It was only in the last month that he had been asking questions about gargoyles. The first request had come two days after a client of his was found murdered.

Satisfied that Deering was probably telling the truth, he was simply too open about what he was doing for it to be subterfuge, Hunter shut down his machine and went to grab a few hours of sleep.

***

It had been over two weeks since Hunter had last stretched his wings. It felt good. He allowed himself a sigh of contentment even as he scanned the rooftops for any sign of other winged forms. The two gliding on either side of him kept a wary distance. The clans had decided to divide into mixed groups. Brooklyn and Claw flew with Hunter. Neither was overly happy with the arrangement. 

It had initially been suggested as a way of bringing the clans closer together, of getting the members used to working with each other. Hunter had accepted the explanation at face value, even though he knew it meant that there was still a great deal of distrust to work through.

Goliath had taken Joey and Delihla while Talon was on patrol in a third part of the city with Magdalena and Sata. The rest had divided up in similar fashion, leaving the twins to guard the castle and the wolves, Jack and Sheila and Maggie, who had never been comfortable with violence, to guard the Labyrinth.

The point of coming out in force, Hunter reminded them was to make their presence known to this unknown gargoyle. If Deering's suspicions were correct, and there was no reason to believe they weren't, the stranger had come all this way to find gargoyles.

Introducing the private investigator to the clan had been a calculated risk, but one Goliath had decided to take after Hunter had filled him in on what he had found. 

Deering had repeated his story to the clan, with Hunter and Talon in attendance. The clan had been openly shocked at the description of the murder. Hunter had been more interested in the gargoyle's own reaction to the crime; his apparent confusion and the fact that he had fled the scene.

He asked pointed questions about the gargoyle and how he had acted. He asked about the crime scenes from the other killings. Deering and Elisa quickly saw where he was going.

"You think this guy attacks people randomly?" Hunter nodded.

"Since the killer is a gargoyle, the time and manner of the killings is easily set aside. There's no pattern to the attacks beyond that. The victims have nothing in common."

"Random violence," Elisa surmised. "Something sets him off. It's not planned at all." Hunter nodded.

"My thoughts exactly. This fellow doesn't exactly sound stable. If he is suffering some sort of mental instability then its even more important that we find him. If he loses it in front of witnesses we'll have a real problem." 

Talon nodded. "The panic could make what the quarry men tried to accomplish a reality. We have to find this guy." With that, they had divided into groups and sectioned off the city.

***

The red haze was creeping over his vision again. Animals. Nothing but animals. They showed no regard for the lives of their fellow humans, how could his kind have ever expected better?

He watched the small group of toughs armed with knives and a chain or two, circling the pair of frightened tourists like wild dogs looking for an opening. They weren't even particularly interested in money. That had been taken already and the group hadn't backed off. They were doing it for the thrill.

His growl was low and deep and it carried. _Animals_, he thought spitefully. Whether vicious or cowardly, cunning or too stupid to live, they were all alike. The haze grew thicker, until all he could see was the blood.

The gang had looked up at the strange sound. A growl? It seemed to roll around them like thunder, low and ominous. They looked around, but they didn't see the source of it. It was forgotten within seconds. The tourists' fear was too distracting, too intoxicating to ignore.

They turned their attention to their victims; so the couple were the only ones who saw the huge shape drop from the roof. Two of them never knew what hit them. Smashed against the wall by the lash of their attacker's tail, they were unconscious before they knew they were under attack. 

The others didn't have much more time. The closest screamed as a powerful hand closed over his, grinding the bones together until he felt them break. His knife fell from fingers no longer able to grip it. He was about to do the same to the human's neck, but shouts from the mouth of the alley drew his attention.

"Police! Everyone drop your weapons." Two uniformed humans were moving toward them with guns drawn. The sight of them froze the teens. They took a second to consider their options, but trapped between a gargoyle and two armed cops there really weren't any. They dropped their weapons and raised their hands.

The sudden drop in tension in the alley left him confused. The red haze retreated and he looked around, confused. He was always confused when the rage passed, but now it was for a different reason.

"You can let him go," one of the officers said. "We've got him."

The statement confused him for a moment. He looked down to see the human dangling from his clenched fist, and dropped him as if he'd found himself holding a poisonous snake.

"I don't recognize you," one of the officers said as he cuffed the other two, and his partner called for an ambulance. "Who are you?"

"M-malcolm," he managed to stammer. "I-I come from the south." He looked about, dazedly. Where had the cops come from? What were they doing there? For that matter, what was Malcolm doing there? Suddenly he realized that the human had said something very important. "You don't recognize me? You're not afraid of me?"

"Should I be?" the officer honestly seemed surprised by the question.

"Most humans are. You know other gargoyles. You know where I can find them?" He grew excited, suddenly remembering his business in New York. "I came to find others." The human was looking at him oddly now, as if bewildered by his behavior.

"I think we can help you with that. Why don't you-"

"Help him?!" The one whose hand Malcolm had crushed stared at them in disbelief. "He attacked us! He broke my hand! You should be shooting that thing! It's a menace!"

"As opposed to you, you mean?" His partner glared at the man until he shut up. "The ambulance will be here soon."

"I wanna press charges!" the thug yelled, glaring at Malcolm, apparently no longer scared now that the initial shock of the attack had passed. This brought the officers up short. No one had ever tried to have a gargoyle arrested before. Technically though, he had assaulted the man. They looked at Malcolm and didn't quite know what to do. Unlike the others they knew, he hadn't left when the bad guys were caught. _Frankly_, Morgan thought, looking over the strange gargoyle, _he doesn't look like he knows what to do_. 

"Well, come on with us. We'll see if we can get you to the others." Malcolm nodded numbly, not sure what else to do, but tensed when he heard the approaching sirens. He began to back away, an expression of fear on his face, one that quickly turned to anger when the two officers began to approach him.

"Hey, relax. No one's gonna hurt you."

"Hurt me?" The voice was openly contemptuous now. "You believe you could?" he snorted.

"That's not our intention. We can help you find other gargoyles." Morgan assured him. Again Malcolm's mood shifted.

"Okay," he nodded, just as he had when they first suggested he come with them. The two officers looked at each other, beginning to worry. They walked to the mouth of the alley to meet their backup and the ambulance.

The other officers stared when they saw Malcolm. "What's his story?" one whispered as the gargoyle stood by watching as the gang was loaded into squad cars and an ambulance. Morgan shook his head.

"I'm not sure. He says he's a stranger here, came looking for the Manhattan gargoyles."

"Don't gargoyles generally take off when the police arrive?"

"Yeah, and that may be a problem this time." He nodded to the man being loaded on to the ambulance. "That guy says he wants to press charges. Assault, I imagine." The other looked dumbfounded. The idea had never occurred to him. "He's got the right, but I honestly don't know what to do about it. They don't have any official status that I know of."

"Let the captain deal," the other shook his head. Morgan was happy to let it go at that.

***

"You arrested a gargoyle?" Chavez was incredulous.

"Well, not arrested exactly," Morgan hedged. He hastily filled the captain in on what had happened. She shook her head, perplexed. "What were we supposed to do? He just stood there and no one has ever tried to press charges before. I figured if we could get him to his own kind, maybe…" he shrugged.

"Where is he now?"

"Interrogation room three. I wanted to get him out of sight as quickly as possible. Captain, I think there may be something wrong with him."

"Injured?"

"No…, but he was acting kind of strange. I was wondering if…"

"If what?" Morgan didn't look at all happy about whatever it was he was about to say, and Chavez had the feeling she wouldn't like it either.

"Maybe we could have Dr. Pak take a look at him?"

"Pak? The department shrink?" Morgan shrugged.

"He seems, I dunno, confused."

"I think this is a little out of his area, don't you?"

"The gargoyles I've seen dress in loin-cloths and armor. How would they handle it?" That was a good point Chavez decided.

"I'll ask him. At the very least, he might be able to learn more about this new gargoyle. I'll see to it." She dismissed Morgan and he turned and left her office. She picked up the phone and dialed Pak's extension.

The forty-eight year old Korean psychologist listened quietly to Chavez' explanation and request, and agreed readily. "It sounds like a fascinating opportunity. I've been curious about these creatures for some time now." He got the details, gathered his a few essentials and headed for interrogation room three. Meanwhile, Chavez was making a call to the Eyrie building.

"What?! Okay, okay, I'll be there as soon as I can." Elisa Maza shut down the phone and turned to Xanatos. "Call in the clan. I know where he is."

***

Goliath was the first to return, but Elisa had already gone. Xanatos waited until they had all gathered; then told them what little she had been able to pass on before hurrying to the station.

They were not at all pleased at the prospect of a murderous gargoyle in police custody.

"He didn't hurt anyone though?" Hunter clarified.

"Chavez didn't say anything about that. She just told Elisa to return to the station." Xanatos was as concerned as the rest with the lack of information, and that mollified the clan somewhat. There was some grumbling, but Goliath silenced it.

"Speculation is pointless. I suggest we simply wait until Elisa contacts us."

***

"What do you want?"

Dr. Pak blinked in surprise. He was a short man with hair just beginning to gray and an easy going manner that normally put patients at ease. His avuncular manner usually put people off guard, willing to talk to him and tell him their problems. It wasn't a look he cultivated, but one he came by naturally. It wasn't working this time.

"I thought we might talk while my colleagues locate your friends."

"Friends?"

"Well, others of your kind. I'm told you came to New York looking for them."

"Apparently so," he murmured, a doubtful tone in his voice that Pak couldn't help but notice and wonder at. "Who are you?"

"I'm Dr. Pak. I work here at the station. I've never met a gargoyle before and wanted to take the opportunity to find out more about you."

"It isn't surprising that you've never met a gargoyle, given the lengths your species has gone to to eliminate mine. I hope this doesn't mean I'll have to put up with an endless stream of curious humans."

Pak did his best to smile reassuringly while quickly trying to reorient himself. This wasn't at all what he'd been led to expect. Morgan had described the gargoyle as confused, unsure of himself. He shifted mental gears and tried another approach.

***

Elisa pulled into the parking lot and practically ran up the stairs to the front door of the precinct house. It had taken a ridiculous amount of time to get there. The traffic had been unbelievable, even for New York. It had taken all of her self-control not to hit the siren and force her way through. 

She slowed as she went in and made her way to Chavez' office. Once there, she knocked politely and was called in.

"Captain. I-"

"Sit down Maza. You know Dr. Pak?" Elisa shot a glance at the man. She knew him slightly.

"We've met."

"Dr. Pak has been talking to Malcolm, the gargoyle," she clarified at Elisa's blank look. "He's discovered something rather disturbing. I wanted you to be here for this as I'm assigning you this case. Dr.?"

"Yes, well. When officers Morgan and O'Malley encountered him in the streets he had just broken up a mugging, injuring three of the suspects, one of them severely. According to the report the two who are currently in holding cells described a rather vicious attack. When the officers spoke to him however, they described him as confused. He readily complied with their request that he accompany them. He was almost… meek.

"When I spoke to him there was no sign of that. He was confident, outspoken to the point of rudeness. At least he was at first. I haven't had sufficient time with him to make any real diagnosis, but I believe he is somewhat unstable. It would be dangerous to theorize however, as I've never met any other gargoyles."

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Elisa asked hesitantly. She knew that what Deering had told them would have to come out. It was inevitable now. The possible repercussions flashed before her mind's eye. A citywide riot was not outside the realm of possibility. What now?

"I'm not sure. I need more time with him, but I think I may be seeing severe mood swings, sudden changes in attitude and behavior that are not inconsistent with signs of multiple personality disorder."

"I thought there was no such thing," Chavez looked at the doctor curiously.

"There is a great deal of debate on the subject. Many believe that multiple personality disorder doesn't actually exist."

"True," Elisa nodded thoughtfully. "Some think it's just a legal dodge, so a criminal can get himself sent to a hospital instead of a prison."

"I see no reason for such a deception here though," the doctor said as if the point would prove the argument once and for all.

"Me either," Elisa looked at Chavez. "What are you going to do?"

"Let the doctor continue to work with him. We need to make another decision anyway. One of the men he injured wants to press charges of assault." She held up a hand before Elisa could say anything. "Since gargoyles have no legal status that poses a problem. It may take a while to decide how to handle this charge against him. It should give Dr. Pak some time to work."

"The question is, will he sit still for it? Do we formally charge him to keep him here? If we don't, then technically, we can't."

"I'm aware of that, but since gargoyles have no legal status, if we take this before a judge he might even try to have the gargoyle-"

"Malcolm," Dr. Pak provided.

"Malcolm, put to sleep."

"I think that unlikely." Pak was shocked by the very idea. "This is obviously a sentient creature, not a stray dog!"

"Agreed, but there are plenty in this city who would not see it that way. I don't want to see a resurgence of the quarrymen." Chavez stopped to think for a moment, drumming her fingers. "Okay, go back and learn what you can from him. I'll call a few discrete people, and try to get some answers." 

"Doc," Elisa interrupted, "maybe you should hold off. If this guy becomes violent this interview could be dangerous."

"I'll have some officers waiting outside, monitoring the situation. I'll be fine detective." He nodded to them and then eagerly returned to his interrupted interview. She then turned to Elisa.

"Spill it." There was no preamble, and no doubt that Elisa knew more about the situation.

Elisa sighed, looking uncomfortable, but told the captain everything she knew. Chavez sat down heavily.

"Damn it, Maza why didn't you say so at the start?" She then waved away the question, knowing the answer. "This is going to get ugly no matter what we do." She considered carefully for a time. "When Margo Yale gets word of this it'll leak to the press within an hour."

"Will she even touch it? Knowing her rabid anti-gargoyle position she might try to have him put down like a rabid animal. We'll have to get Deering in to make a statement about what he saw regardless. He might be charged himself."

"Do you think he will?"

"He will. His main concern in going to the police was that either he wouldn't be believed or that his story would start a monster hunt that would start people forming mobs smashing statues all over the place… again."

"Okay. Get him in here, and tell the clan what's happened and what has to happen now."

"They're not going to like it," Elisa muttered as she nodded and prepared to leave.

"They're not going to be alone," her boss warned. "Make that clear too."

***

"Stop that," Hunter eyed the red gargoyle irritably. Brooklyn paused in his pacing and glared back.

"It helps me think. This could get real ugly."

"This Malcolm has killed at least four people. It already is ugly."

"He is right," Goliath said heavily. "I don't know why he has done these things, but there must be a reckoning." He turned to face Elisa. "It should be left to gargoyle justice though." Elisa shook her head.

"That isn't possible, and I don't agree with you regardless. If humans and gargoyles are ever going to coexist peacefully there can't be two sets of rules. Following human laws is part of living with humans."

"Gargoyles cannot follow human laws and still function as we do to protect our homes. You know this."

"I know, but there are limits. The law is a double-edged blade Goliath; it cuts both ways for humans, but because it doesn't protect gargoyles, it's even more important that you obey it when possible. If you don't it's only a matter of time before a new group of quarrymen pop up. If you don't make the attempt, sooner or later you cross a line and convince people that you're the monsters that Canmore always said you were. You know that."

Goliath was silent for a long time, but Elisa continued to meet his eyes, her resolve unshakable in the matter. Finally he sighed. "Very well. Your point is well made. What can be done? Your law does not even acknowledge our existence."

"I know. In this case it's more complicated. He needs help. Dr. Pak isn't sure yet, but he thinks Malcolm is unstable, mentally ill." Goliath frowned.

"Ill? Explain."

"Dr. Pak thinks he may be suffering from a sort of… fracture of personality. I'm not a psychologist. I don't understand it really. If he's right though, it could mean that it wouldn't safe for him, or anyone else, if he goes free, even if he weren't violent."

"Multiple personality disorder." Elisa started, then looked around at Hunter's words. How could someone that size blend in to the point where she could forget he was there? She swallowed her annoyance and continued.

"That's Pak's initial diagnosis." Hunter sighed and looked down, frowning in concentration.

"If I remember correctly, that condition is usually the result of extensive abuse, beginning at a young age."

"That's what I've heard. I don't know if it holds true for gargoyles though. I mean I can't imagine a gargoyle…" Hunter nodded as she trailed off.

"I know, but It's not going to be a mitigating circumstance even if the courts can be convinced to handle this as the would a human who had committed similar crimes. No prosecutor worth his salt will stand for it."

"Perhaps the question right now should be, what do we do about this?" Broadway, who had listened to the debate quietly up to that point, stepped in. "How do we help him? Can we help him?"

"Well, he was promised that he would meet other gargoyles. Perhaps we should see that that promise is kept. Deering has to make a statement. How about Goliath and I go with him? Have a talk with Malcolm and Dr. Pak. I doubt he's being very forthcoming. Maybe he will talk to another gargoyle."

"You are not a gargoyle," Goliath reminded him. Hunter shrugged.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him."

***

Deering sat in the chair across from Chavez' desk looking uncomfortable. He had every reason to be.

"You should have gone to the police immediately."

"What would have happened if I had? Even assuming I was believed." No other answer was needed. That alone was sufficient to stump her. Finally, she sighed.

"He might have been apprehended or destroyed before this, but only after a lot of trouble. It couldn't have been kept from the media for long. After that…" 

"Smashed statues, riots, innocent people being hurt during those riots," Deering finished the thought for her. "You have enough to hold him now, for psychiatric evaluation at least."

"It's not that simple. He's not human and has no legal status. There's no telling what the courts will do."

"Well, we're going to find out. That can't be helped now. You know as well as I do that something like this was bound to happen sooner or later." They turned to look at the two other occupants of the office. Both Goliath and Hunter kept their own counsel, not saying a word.

Hunter didn't show his relief when they left the captain's office and were escorted to the interrogation room. Dr. Pak was still talking to the strange gargoyle. They knocked on the door and he hastily admitted them. His eyes widened at what he perceived to be two new gargoyles, but he restrained his curiosity and excitement.

"Ah, welcome. I see that captain Chavez was able to get through to you after all."

"Indeed," Goliath rumbled. "May we have some time with him alone?" 

"Of course." Pak withdrew and closed the door behind him.

"Come," Goliath said to Hunter as the Mutate looked thoughtfully after the doctor. "It has been a long time since we have encountered a gargoyle of another clan." He sat across from Malcolm, addressing the stranger. Hunter took a chair beside him. He was not as large as Goliath, but he still found human sized furniture awkward.

"I can't tell you what a relief it is to meet other gargoyles," the stranger gushed. "I was starting to think I'd been lied to." He began to tell them about his meeting with the police. It was a somewhat confused and disjointed account, but the highlights were there. This was a vicious killer? Hunter wondered, then chided himself. He knew of Pak's diagnosis. Appearances could be very deceptive.

The two looked at each other in surprise. Why would they be surprised by him? Malcolm thought about this, or tried to, without much success. His head throbbed and he shrugged off the problem, shelving it for later consideration.

"Tell me everything. Te-tell me about your clan and your home. It's been so long." Goliath was willing to oblige on the condition that Malcolm told his story in exchange.

"You live with humans?!" Malcolm's tone was incredulous, and he looked frightened. Goliath watched Malcolm curiously. This was the brutal killer that Deering had been tracking? Malcolm was behaving like a timid hatchling. What was going on here?

"Yes, they guard us during the day as we watch them at night."

"B-but, hu-humans can't be trusted!" He stared at the surrounding walls as if afraid he would be attacked at any moment. "What am I even doing here?"

"You came here to meet other gargoyles," Hunter reminded him. "The officers told you, correctly, that they could contact us."

"Cops," Malcolm said contemptuously. "Humans are bad enough most of the time, paranoid, hateful animals." He had risen and started to pace. The change had happened so fast it had left them both stunned and staring.

Malcolm moved around the room muttering to himself for a time, then he turned on them. "My clan trusted humans and look what it got them, and you trust them. Foolish of you."

"Not all humans," Goliath conceded. "Some though have proven themselves to us." Malcolm looked dubious but accepted it.

His entire bearing changed again. Goliath and Hunter stared at him in mute fascination.

"Why do you stomach the presence of such creatures? You don't need them."

"They are convenient," Hunter said. His baring had shifted as well. Goliath shifted his gaze to Hunter. What was going on here?

"They are dangerous!" Malcolm insisted. "We are helpless during the day. They could kill you all."

"Did that happen to your clan?" Goliath asked. Malcolm rounded on him.

"What do you know of my clan?" he demanded. "They trusted humans too. It was stupid of them. I left when humans tried to kill me."

"And the rest of your clan?" Goliath asked, dreading the answer.

"What of them? If you are stupid enough to trust those animals you deserve what you get. They deserved what they got for being so foolish!"" Goliath only stared in shock. He couldn't find an answer to that.

"Tell us what happened," Hunter urged gently.

***

"What do you make of him?" Goliath asked, genuinely at a loss. They had left Malcolm alone in the interrogation room while they had retreated to Chavez' office to speak to her and Dr. Pak. Elisa was there as well.

"I think we could make a barber-shop quartet of him," Hunter said bluntly. The gargoyle stared at him in confusion, but Pak and Chavez looked thoughtful and Elisa's expression cleared as comprehension dawned.

"You think he's mentally unstable then?"

"Oh there's no doubt of that," Hunter responded, "but I'm not a psychiatrist. My diagnosis may be way off the mark. 

"I don't believe it is," Dr. Pak spoke up. "Although the barber-shop quartet crack was uncalled for. I believe I have seen three distinctive personalities though."

"Had you seen the fourth," Hunter told him, "I don't believe we would be having this conversation. One is meek, he follows the lead set by others. Another is stronger, more confident of himself, but not openly hostile. The third, we also saw. He openly despises humans and wishes to be away from them, but not even that one seems inclined to commit the kind of violence that Deering described."

Pak considered that, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "Deering said that the attacks were without pattern. That the one's he killed were seemingly chosen at whim. On several occasions he put himself at risk of being spotted. That would tend to indicate a crime of passion." Hunter nodded. "You think there is another personality. One that is capable of that kind of violence."

"Yes, I do. Questions about his clan seemed to push him closer to a manifestation of that personality. He grew increasingly agitated."

"That's going to make it difficult to get any information out of him."

"What would you suggest? Hypnosis?" Pak looked at him, vaguely amused.

"Why don't you let me worry about his therapy. I appreciate any insight you can offer, but it's not your area of expertise."

"True enough," Hunter nodded, not offended. "So what can we do?"

"Speak for your clan to the press," Chavez spoke up. "This isn't going to be easy. They will get wind of it sooner or later and you will have to be prepared to prove to people that you're not monsters."

"I think you're on Goliath," Hunter said dryly. Goliath saw nothing amusing in the situation, and only looked at him in consternation. "Let us hope that it is not necessary to calm any rioting mobs. I don't think either of us would be likely to inspire warm fuzzy feelings, no matter how carefully our words are chosen."

"I tend to concur," Pak said looking over the two clan leaders. "Perhaps there is another who could fulfill that duty should it become necessary." Chavez cleared her throat.

"Let's solve one problem at a time. First an appointment with Margot Yale in the morning." She looked at Elisa. "It's your case Maza."

"Oh joy."

"I don't like it either, but she is the district attorney. This will be a necessary first step. Find out before then if he's committed any murders here though. At the moment, we only have evidence of the killing in Pittsburgh." She glanced at Deering. "That takes precedent over an assault charge here. Let's not feed the fire though. We can't be sure he committed those other murders." Elisa nodded.

"Right captain." Elisa rose and left the office. Chavez focused on Goliath and Hunter. "Stay in touch. I think we should leave it to Dr. Pak for now, but I want to be able to call you if he thinks you can be of help to him."

Both nodded and turned to leave. There was nothing they could do to help at that point. They had explained Malcolm's position to him when they had calmed him down. They had told him that the mugger had wanted him arrested for assault, and he had accepted it, being in 'meek mode' at that point. His various personalities didn't seem to have other names, but they were still obviously different people. Memories of actions carried out by one personality seemed to carry over to others only as vague impressions, if the other was aware of them at all.

Chavez had vetoed the idea of one of them staying in case Malcolm became violent. It would have created too much of a stir having a gargoyle hanging around the precinct. Goliath had reluctantly agreed and they had withdrawn quietly.

"This is going to get worse before it gets better," Hunter said as they left quietly through the back door. Privately, he found that somewhat ironic, but didn't share it with Goliath, doubting he'd get the point. Instead he said, "it will get better though. Don't doubt that Goliath."

"I hope you're right."

NOT THE END


End file.
